


Can You Be a Good Boy, Max

by FreakyVintageWallpapers



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Abuse, Manipulation, Wood Scout Max AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2018-12-08 14:49:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11648826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreakyVintageWallpapers/pseuds/FreakyVintageWallpapers
Summary: An alternate take on Episode 8, if Max went to retrieve his prized possession himself from the Wood Scouts.





	1. Chapter 1

“Little Maxwell?” Pikeman smiled as his two lackeys drug the small boy into their tent.

“Give it up! I want it back and I want it fucking now!” Max yelled, grunting as he was thrown to the ground.

Pikeman walked over to the desk in the far corner of his tent, holding up the mentioned item by the scruff of it torn neck, stuffing falling to the floor.

“Oh this? This is just trash, what could you possibly want with this.” 

Max ran for it, jumping to snatch his poor bear from the acne covered freak, but was kicked away mid air. 

Max slid back on his bottom, wincing in pain as he gripped his stomach.

He wheezed, trying to gain back the air knocked from his lungs. Pikeman approached the younger boy, waving the stuffed animal in front of Max’s face.

“You want this back don’t you?” Max reached up in vain, Pikeman holding it inches from his reach.  
Panic started to course through his body as the thought of not getting his bear back.

“Give it back!” He whimpered, arm stretching and quickly retracting to cover his aching chest that protested every movement.

Pikeman squatted so he was eye level with the curled up boy.

“You’ll get it back, but you’ll have to be a good boy, Max.” Pikeman’s mouth stretched into a wicked grin, Snake and Petrol shared the same smile, but Max didn’t care.

He had to get his friend back.

Pikeman lowered the bear closer to Max but still kept it from his reach.

“Can you be a good boy for us, Max?”

Uncertainty shown through his eyes, but the sad state of his bear made his heart drop. 

Pikeman could see the boy’s uneasy state and gently grab the bear’s head, tugging lightly at the loose stitching. The head hung sadly on it’s last few threads and Max cried out, jumping up for the bear only to be grabbed by the front of his hoodie.

“Can you be a good boy, Max?"

Max nodded pitifully, tears, that he refused to indulge in, welling up in his eyes as he stared at his stuffed animal. 

“I’ll be good, please.” Max whispered, he casted his eyes to the floor.

“You will get your toy back once you prove it.” 

The Wood Scouts shared a laugh, as the boy’s face fell even more, and they knew that this would be very eventful.

–  
“How the fuck am I supposed to get through that?” Max yelled, as he clenched tightly to the sash around his chest. He wanted his hoodie back.

“It’s a simple ropes course, Maxwell. I’m sure you can handle.”

Max turned to protest but saw the bear in Pikeman’s hand.

“Especially with the raised stakes.” The teen added, and Max gulped facing the course again.

He fell, and fell, and fell. Over and over again, and the more he fell the more Pikeman got frustrated.

It had been the fifth time Max had gotten stuck in the rope bridge and fell flat on his back. 

His body was covered in bruises and his muscles ached. 

As he stared up at the ropes hanging above him, he thought of how easily Nikki would climb, not thinking, just trusting where her hands fell. She never second guessed whether or not her feet would slips through the hole of the net, she just climbed.

Pikeman coughed loudly into his fist, Max stood up to face him in time to see him tug harshly on the arm of his bear. The seam split, stuffing falling to the ground as the teddy’s arm was easily ripped off. 

Max yelped as if he was physically pained by the bear, but knew there was only one way to get him away from the torturous teen. 

Max ran to the start of the ropes course, speeding through the sections he had become familiar with and stopped at the rope bridge. He’d just have to crawl across.

‘Just like Nikki, don’t think. Do. Fearless like Nikki’ Max thought.

He sped across the bridge, let his hands pull him and not second guessing where his feet fell.   
Before he knew it, he sat huffing in front of Pikeman at the finish, fighting to catch his breath. 

Max rose to his feet and stared up at the soft toy, then glancing at Pikeman, his eyes silently begging. Pikeman stared at him hard, eyeing him up and down, and hummed as he came to a conclusion.

“You went through a little ropes course, so what? Do you think that’s enough to be rewarded? I don’t think so. You still have more to prove.” 

Max frowned, frustration from his constant failing and from the denial of his favorite toy made tears well up, but he refused to let them shed.

He stomped his foot, “How is that any fucking fair you asshole?”

“I suggest you apologize.” Snake spoke up and Max looked to him, the fire revived in his eyes.

“Fuck you and fuck him! Just give me the bear back assholes! It’s not your’s so give it to me!”

“Stop throwing a tantrum!” Pikeman commanded, and Max was one second away from showing the boy what a tantrum really was. But he settled on giving him the finger before he thought of moving on to such drastic measures.

Pikeman rolled his eyes at the bratty behavior, and turned away from him. He stalked off, Max yelling obscenities behind him. 

“Petrol!” Pikeman barked, the boy quickly stood at attention, and Max immediately shut his mouth (earning a dark chuckle from Snake) suddenly afraid of what Pikeman would have the other boy do.

“Make him run the course 10 more times. Then we’ll see if he’s ready to apologize.” He didn’t even turn around to speak to him, and Max’s eye went wide as Petrol lead him back to the beginning of the ropes course.   
–

Max was littered with bruises and scratches. Some poorly bandaged by himself with his tattered sash and others were left out to the open after Max had been sent to his tent without food for ruining his uniform. He was gifted a bandage after he slammed his face into a rock wall and Pikeman had so generously gifted him the bright pink bandage that laid across the bridge of his nose. The other scouts laughed at him for the color of the bandage.

“Are you ready to be a good boy, Maxwell?” Max jumped, wrapping his arms around himself, and looked up at the older teen, his large blue doe eyes staring at him uncertainly.

Pikeman squatted down to his height and leaned in close. 

“You’ve been training to be an excellent camper, and you were promised a reward when you proved you were a good boy. You’ve made us very proud in the short time you’ve been here, and we were easily able to overcome all that bad behavior. The reward will come if you can do this.”

Max wrapped his arms around tighter and looked at the other two scouts for approval. They grinned at him, giving the small boy a thumbs up as encouragement. 

Max still looked like a frightened and wounded animal despite the encouraging looks, he could tell in some way this would fall back on him and he’d end up punished once more.

His legs began to shake as he thought of the task before him, but turned back to Pikeman, knowing how much he hated when Max didn’t keep eye contact. 

Pikeman stood and offered his hand out to Max who gently took it, he nervously chewed on his thumb as the walked toward the door.

“Posture, Max.” Pikeman reminded without looking to the boy. Max stood up straight, but didn’t stop chewing on his thumb, something that had come to replace holding his teddy bear, who was currently stationed in his troop leader’s tent.  
Pikeman took a catalogue that was carried under his arm and passed it too Max, as he gently wrapped on the door.

Before Pikeman could remind Max the plan, which consisted of following the rules of intense eye contact and always smile, (and if push came to shove, stick your foot in the door and demand they buy the popcorn) the door opened to reveal a rather pretty young woman.

She seemed pleased to greet the children, and this eased the anxiety that gripped at Max’s chest.  
Max looked to Pikeman who tilted his head to the lady at the door, and Max passed her the catalogue.

‘Bull shit it like Neil. Fight through it like he does, be strong like Neil.’’

“M-my name is M-M-Max and I’m with the W-Wood Scouts, M-ma’am.”

She laughed and bent down to his height, and reached out to gently squeeze his cheek.  
Max resisted the urge to flinch, and gave the woman a weak smile, her hand were very warm. 

“Well aren’t you just the cutest scout there ever was! How’d you get all them bruises, honey?”   
Max looked down and began to shuffle his feet, his thumb had returned to his mouth, and Pikeman began to panic and was going to interject. 

“I went on a ropes course.” Max told honestly, like Pikeman had taught him. They spent a whole day on telling the truth after Max had lied about sneaking through the older teen’s tent searching for his reward.

Max never lied again.

“Oh yeah? What else did you do?” Her heart absolutely melted at the nervous scout, he was clearly upset by having to talk to a stranger and he was just the most sweetest thing she had ever laid her eyes on. She’d have tell everyone at work about the cute scout that visited her.

“I went rock climbing, and swimming, we did archery once, and we went hiking one day.” Max racked his brain, trying to think of what else they had done in the month Max had been stuck with the scouts.

‘Tortured, I was definitely tortured. And beat publicly and humiliated, and they broke me over a stupid teddy bear that they haven’t let me touch or see inweeks.’ Max fought down the voice that had suddenly broke through in his head. 

“Oh, how exciting!” She stood up straight after petting Max’s wild curls. (Which Pikeman had tried to tame, and almost shaved off, but that was one fight Max won.)

“You’re selling popcorn? That’s neat. Have you been down this whole street?” She asked, flipping through the pages of the catalogue, finding some eye catching flavors.

Max furrowed his brows as he thought and found himself chewing at his nail.

He looked up at her from under the loose curls that fell on his forehead. Pikeman always said to keep eye contact. 

“N-no ma’am. You’re my first customer.” He flinched when she gasped, he wondered if he had said something wrong and if Pikeman would be upset. What if he was sent to bed without dinner again? Or made to do chores, or have to sleep outside in his sleeping bag again? 

What if Pikeman struck him again?

The right side of his face tingled at the thought. 

He hadn’t called any of the Wood Scouts a name after that incident, even when he really wanted to. Even Snake had felt bad for him.

“Well, how about I make myself a memorable first customer! I’ll buy three big bags of this caramel corn!” 

Max smiled up at her, eyes wide as he thought of how proud Pikeman would be.

Max turned to look at him, hoping to see some sense of happiness behind the stern yellow eyes, but his smile quickly fell when he met Pikeman’s gaze. 

Pikeman was studying him up and down, trying to solve an equation very much invisible to Max.  
The lady offered Max the catalogue as she went off to fetch her check book. 

Max clutched the paper to his chest tightly, and began to shake under Pikeman’s intense gaze. Max’s eyes darted around as if someone was going to jump out of nowhere, but he stayed put because his leader hadn’t told him it was time to leave yet.

The lady returned to the door and offered Max the check, which he accepted with a quick nod.   
“Thank you for the popcorn dear! Have a good time at camp okay?” She gently shut the door, and Max turned to stand in front of Pikeman who wordlessly offered his hand.

Max kept his eyes downcast as they trudged back to the bushes where Petrol and Snake had hidden themselves. 

Pikeman had a tight grip on Max’s hand, and the smaller boy couldn’t help but whimper in pain as the tight grip continued to grow. 

The acne ridden teen didn’t offer an apology, only loosened his grip upon hearing the noise Max had made. 

The others stood at attention once Pikeman and Max rounded the corner into the thick brush. 

“How’d it go?” Snake asked, taking the papers from Max’s hand. He gasped letting Petrol stare at the check.

Petrol gave him a thumbs up, and Snake patted his shoulder. Max felt his chest swell with hope at his reward.

“This is amazing! This is more than we’d sell in a month.”

Max tilted his head in confusion,”But it’s only three   
ba-"

“Don’t talk back, Maxwell.” Pikeman chided, eyes staring at nothing as he lost himself back in thought. 

Max stood up straight and kept his eyes downcast, when did he come so used to this routine? The routine of hiding himself.

“Let’s go back to headquarters, I think we need to rethink our entire plan.”  
–

“You’re crazy!” Snake gasped, staring at the paper in front of them.

Max wasn’t allowed to sit at the table with the high ranking scouts, so he sat next to Pikeman’s chair, picking at grass that had tried to sprout under the Meeting Tent.

“I would have said the same thing myself; however, Maxwell proved me wrong.” 

Max looked up when he heard his name mentioned, and was met with a cold hand brushing back- no, petting his hair, as if Max was his pet. 

Pikeman seemed proud of him, and a Max began to feel his own pride flow inside him.

“So your lap dog has finally done something right?” Another troop leader laughed, and Pikeman scoffed at the name. Max frowned, keeping the snide comments he would have loved to make to himself.

“Maxwell will you please stand on the chair.” Pikeman stood up and pushed the chair back to give Max room to climb on.

Max could feel the whole room’s eyes settle on him and he chewed on his thumb, fighting the red color that overcame his cheeks, and was trying his best not to slouch. They always teased when Pikeman corrected him on something as simple as slouching.

“Max is small and very thin. He’s shy,” He gestured to the blush that settled on his cheeks, and easily wrapped his thumb and middle finger so they touched around Max’s upper arm.

“He fidgets nervously and is the youngest of the Sleepy Peak troop. He screams weak, and gentle.” The other’s leaned forward, clearly interested in what Pikeman was trying to prove.

“He’s adorable. And that’s what sells.” A few uneasy glances are passed around the room, Pikeman coughed to bring them back.

“Think about it, colorful cookie names, vibrant boxes with cutesy animal designs, and most of all shy and dainty Flower Scouts to sell them. The Flower Scouts sell because they play to the people, they don’t need to intimidate because they’ve already manipulated them into buying just by batting their eyes and being cute. “

“It’s even in the name! When you think of flowers, you think of pleasant plants and sweet smells? Now what do you think when you hear the word ‘Woods.”

“You’re onto something, Edward.” Another troop leader agreed.

“I think it’s time to reconstruct are popcorn selling plan, and our looks, but for now I think it’s time to take care of some business.” 

Pikeman gently lifted Max off the chair, as the scouts began to discuss the new plan, and set him on the ground. 

“It’s time for your reward, Max.” Pikeman’s face had gone gentle, and Max willingly took his hand.  
Snake and Petrol followed the duo back to Pikeman’s tent where Max was instructed to sit on the cot and wait. 

Max kicked his legs, his whole body buzzing with excitement upon getting the chance to see Mr. Honey nuts. His heart raced as he thought of the many night he would hold his friend close, and how all anxieties would creep away from Max when his friend was with him.

He couldn’t help the creeping smile that had somehow found its way onto his face. His adorable plush friend he hadn’t seen since the ropes course on his first day. He had made it, he had been a good boy and he would finally get back his bear. 

What he had fought for since day one.

Max saw Pikeman’s feet come into view from where he was staring at the ground.

“Maxwell, you may look up now.”

Max whipped his head up, his wide grin and sparkling eyes falling as he saw his bear.

It was mostly deflated, most of the stuffing had fallen out, and the bear has several missing limbs, it only had its right arm and its left leg was hanging by a single thread.

The bear was missing both eyes and it’s head was void of stuffing.

Pikeman held out the pieces, growing more frustrated by the second. 

“Go on Maxwell, take you reward.” He urged, confused on why the boy looked so sad after he had just gifted him back the prized toy that made him join the Wood Scouts.

Max took it and as soon as he touched it the head fell off and rolled away. 

“Yes, Maxwell you’ve earned this. You’ve proven to the other troops that the Sleepy Peak district is one of high standard, and that we can turn anyone into an honorable scout. It’s certainly shown and will reflect on my reputation.” He bragged, Max now knew that the earlier pride he saw was not meant for him.

No one was expecting the weak sob that fled the boy. 

‘David wouldn’t cry, fight it, be strong like David.’ Max tried to convince himself but he could feel the burning tears begin to well up.

“He’s ruined!” Max cried, a familiar fight rising in his chest. He threw the body at Pikeman. 

Tears blurred his vision and he didn’t fight against them this time, sobs wracked his tiny frame. 

The sobs turned into screams as Max released almost a month’s worth of emotions that had been pent up inside of him. The frustration, the anger, the sad nights, and the fear rang through his screams.

He slammed his fists on the cot, his screams only increasing in volume as his tears fell faster and more frequently. 

“M-My Bear!” Max wailed, curling in on himself, his mind raced with the picture of holding his ruined comfort item.

“M-Maxwell, please, stop this.” Pikeman stared at his friends for help, having never experienced Max having a crying fit, Snake and Petrol looked as equally afraid. 

Snake went into action shoving the pieces of the torn bear into his leader’s hands, and Pikeman in turn held them out to Max.

“W- We can fix this Max. We’ll fix this dont worry! We can sew can’t we!” Pikeman knew for a fact he couldn’t and he turned to his friends who shrugged in response.

Max continued to wail, smacking the ruined pieces of his teddy out of Pikeman’s hands.

Guilt flooded the Wood Scouts, and Pikeman moved to comfort the boy.

He’d pat his head and tell him he was proud! That had always made Max happy in the past.

But he only cared for it because it meant he inching closer to get his bear, Oh..

Pikeman stared at the remains of Mr. Honey Nuts.  
Or maybe not.

The flap to Pikeman’s tent opened and he whipped around quickly to shoo the stray scout, who was clearly enticed to peak by the screaming, off but froze when he met eyes with a familiar tall man

A small scout tried pushing the older man back, “He just came stomping through here and all his campers are raising a riot all over camp!”

David stood tall, eyes dark, bags layered under his eyes from sleepless night that had been haunting him for almost a month.

“I heard from a good friend at the bar that a curly black haired boy sold her Wood Scout’s Popcorn. Said he was tan skinned, with the widest blue eyes. Said he was covered in bruises.” David chuckled darkly.

"Where’s my camper at?” He spat, and as if on cue Max let out a loud cry behind Pikeman, too lost in his crying fit to notice his camp counselor who came to rescue him.

Cries from the outside surrounded the tent, some about a girl who was climbing and wreaking havoc, and about how their phones and other electronics had been hacked. More filled as the other yellow shirt wearing campers flooded in.

Pikeman shrunk as David stalked closer. 

–

Nikki and Neil hurried for Max to get into the middle of their bed. 

Bed was a loose term, it was actually their three cots pushed together since the two campers couldn’t bare anymore separation from their friend. 

Max rolled his eyes but got under the covers letting his two friends get comfortable on either side of him.

Neil dug under the bed and passed the patchwork bear to Max, as was routine for them, as it had been for the past week.

The yellow and brown fabric that covered the bear didn’t even show signs of ripping as Max gripped it tight, and his friend were gentle as the cuddled close to their friend, not wanting to press against any wounds. 

David peeked in a few minutes after lights out had officially been put in place, scratching at his bare neck sheepishly when Max smiled at him as was routine for them now.

Before David could even get in his own good nights, Max’s friends had been anticipating David’s arrival.

“Good night!” Nikki screamed with her eyes still closed.

Max fought back his urge to flinch, and smiled at his friend’s antics.

“Yeah, night, David.” Neil yawned.

Max felt Neil’s back press against his own.

“Night ass hat.” Max said, faux annoyance in his voice.

“Goodnight my Camp Campbell campers.”


	2. Nightmare Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A closer look at the nights Max spent at the Wood Scouts camp

The scouts hated what they had so appropriately dubbed, Nightmare Nights.

The nights when the little boy who got stuck with the with the only army cot would wake up screaming in fear, and in other nights, pain. The nights the other scouts would toss and turn in their beds while the boy howled into the dark room.

He was a fragile little thing, they learned that fast. He tripped over his feet, and he gained many scratches and bruises from the constant harassment. Some were poorly wrapped by his torn sash, others were tended to by the poor excuse of a nurse they had working the medical tent.

Sometimes, he scratched or threw himself off the, much too large for him, army cot. They didn't help him, they didn't wish to make their troop leader mad lest they get the same punishment.

Most nights however, he just screamed, sometimes calling out names none of the scouts recognized. Sometimes he called out too Nikki and Neil, who ever they were. Some of the bunk mates began to speculate siblings of his, but others offered the fact that they could be old campers from the camp across the lake. 

Or he called to a woman named Gwen, he always drew out her name when he cried for her, like if he said it long enough he would gain her attention and she would come running . The campers all knew Gwen, Pikeman pined after her and made it the troops problem. They hated those first few weeks after the Camporee, Pikeman ran drills every chance he could just to take out his frustrations of rejection on them.

The worst nights, the nights they dreaded the most, were the nights he called out for David. They remembered him as well, when Snake had first captured the smaller boy during an escape attempt from Camp Campbell. 

David proudly marched through there camp and pulled his camper out of their most treacherous ropes course and took him home. Pikeman was furious but could ultimately do nothing.

They could see why the boy dreamt of him and woke up so disappointed.

Those were the nights he threw himself from bed, the night he scratched at his skin, the nights he howled in a mixture of pain, fear, and mourning. Those were the nights the other scouts in the cabin would pin down his arms until he stopped crying long enough to notice where he was. Those were the nights he shredded his arms to the point he almost needed stitches.

The nights Pikeman would have Petrol and Snake carry him off to lord knows where. The nights the scouts laid awake wondering if this is what the Wood Scouts stood for. Torture and Pain. 

The nights they feared for the safety of little Maxwell, the nights they honestly prayed for his next escape attempt to be successful. The nights they felt as though they were traitors to their troop, traitors to their brothers for wishing Max to return home where Nightmare Nights didn't exist.

The nights they hated the most.


	3. Don't Wake Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set a week or two after Max’s capture. Max meets the Scoutmaster.

"It hurts..." He whimpered. 

  
Pikeman didn't answer, only gestured for Petrol to put more weight on his foot. Max hissed as the pressure made every muscle in his back scream. Petrol was practically standing on him.   
  
"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Max screamed.    
  
Pikeman nodded. He strolled past the scene and stood in front of the group of scouts that were lined up watching the torture.    
  
Thunder roared in the distance and already Pikeman could feel soft winds blowing in. He only us a short moment before the storm over took the camp.    
  
“What are we?”    
  
“Wood Scouts!” They barked in unison.    
  
“What are we?” Pikeman shouted louder. Thunder cracked.    
  
“Wood Scouts!” They screamed. Pikeman turned sharply on his heels and March in front of Max.    
  
“It hurts!” Max pleaded. Pikeman crouched down in front of him.    
  
“What are you, Max?” He whispered   
  
“Fuck off! Leave me alone! Get off of me you fat fuck.” Max gritted out. Petrol growled at the name calling and added more weight.    
  
Max thought he was going to break his back. The next time he would ever see Camp Campbell would be through the window of an ambulance. How would David react when he got the call? That one of his campers that mysteriously disappeared was found in another camp with his spine snapped in half.    
  
Max could catch his breath and he knew his arms would get out soon. But the acne covered teen in front of him stayed crouched waiting for the correct response.    
  
More pressure was added.    
  
“God- someone fucking help me!” He cried and echoes of the Scouts laughter hit his ears.    
  
His mind returned to David. It was the safest place it could go when his favorite bear wasn’t in sight. What would happen to David if Max was found dead somewhere? They would go after him wouldn’t they? If Campbell said he left David in charge then David would take all responsibility. They’d arrest him. They’d lock him away somewhere where he’d never see the light of day. His head began to swim with the thoughts.   
  
How could Max hurt David like that? It was only four words and David would be safe. But then what would be left of him if he gave in like that?   
  
“Snake please go retrieve the object from our quarters.” Pikeman stood up and motioned for Petrol to step away. As soon as he got off, Max collapsed on his side.    
  
He panted hard, his lungs never seeming to fill up with enough air. He wished he could just pass out. It was the only things that the powers that be could deliver him.    
  
“Maxwell.” Pikeman said softly. Or had he growled it out?    
  
“Maxwell, Look here.” No it was definitely soft. Kind even. Max had heard him use that voice before, whenever he brought it out.    
  
Max’s weary eyes dragged up the length of Pikeman and slowly traveled over his extended arm. His stuffed bear, his favorite thing in the whole wide world, dangled from his fingertips. There were new tears he noted, and stuffing falling out just from the slight swinging.    
  
Max began to weep with no tears. His body rocked with dry eyes and harsh sobs. Pikeman gently brought it closer. He was leaned in on one knee and he set it gently on the ground in front of Max but kept his fist curled in on the back of the fur.    
  
Max’s sobs sounded like wheezing breaths.    
  
“Please.” He pleaded, his arms were shaking violently but he reached out for his bear.    
  
Pikeman pulled it away, centimeters from Max’s twitching fingers.    
  
“What are you, Max?” He said once more.   
  
“Say it, Max.” Snake spoke up.    
  
Max closed his eyes tight and, though it wasn’t in his nature to ever ignore a problem, he did his best to not acknowledge Pikeman.    
  
He heard heavy boots stomping across the dirt.    
  
“What are you?” The fur brushed against his cheek ever so lightly. Max’s mouth hung open in a soundless wail.    
  
“Whats going on here?” A deep voice asked. Every jumped to attention and scrambled to get back to their cabins. Pikeman grabbed a passing Scout and shoved the teddy bear in his hand. The kid nodded and ran for it.   
  
Max lifted open an eye when the fur left his cheek. A man with slicked back red hair was staring at Max with his head tilted. His piercing yellow eyes met Max’s and the boy wished he could just run. The man was wearing a Scouts uniform that matched Pikeman’s.    
  
Pikeman was trembling, and to Max’s surprise, Snake and Petrol were hiding behind their leader.    
  
“Edward,” the man started. He slowly walked towards the boy sprawled out on the dirt. Max attempted to crawl away but none of his muscles worked with him. The man crouched over him and gently ran two fingers over his arms.    
  
“Y-yes, Dad?” Pikeman stuttered, leaning forward enough to see what his father was doing.    
  
The man tutted as he rolled Max onto his side. His touch roughened as he ran over the footprint made of dirt on the back of Max’s uniform. Max hissed.    
  
“Just bruises. Some scars but nothing that can’t be excused, Dad!” Pikeman spoke up. His voice wavered, and he was beginning to sweat.    
  
“Shut your mouth! And it’s sir to you!” The man barked over his shoulder.    
  
“Can you stand up?” His voice wasn’t as rough as Pikeman’s but it still came out as a command. 

  
Max tried, he managed to put his palms to the ground but he was trembling to hard to keep his balance. He collapsed but the man’s large hand pushed against his chest and eased him to the ground.    
  
“Easy there, Scout. Edward!” The man shouted. Pikeman stood back to attention and stiffly marched towards his father.    
  
“What’s happened here?” His voice rumbled from his chest.    
  
“Dad I-“ Pikeman started but the man stood up so quick he moved in a blur. The next thing Max saw was Pikeman lying on the ground facing him holding his cheek in pain. Snake and Petrol jumped and avoided their eyes.    
  
“No! You look!” The man demanded. The two boys snapped their heads to look at Pikeman.    
  
“You think your tough Scout? Huh? You can’t even take good enough recruits! You get a runt and you can’t even make him a Scout! What a disgrace.” The man shook his head. Pikeman curled in on himself, refusing to open his eyes or look at his father.   
  
“You can’t even be a man while your Scout Master is away?” His father spit at his feet. Pikeman flinched away.   
  
“Get up.” His father nudged him with his boot. Pikeman didn’t move and his father grabbed the collar of his uniform with a rough hand. He yanked Pikeman to his feet and forced him to steady.    
  
His father leaned in close to his face, “You’re a disappointment. Get back to your cabins.” The three of them booked it towards the cabin. Pikeman in the rear with Petrol and Snake gripping both his arms.    
  
“Okay, scout, lets get you to the nurse.” Max was lifted from the dirt and his clung to the dark green shirt.    
  
Max wasn’t sure how to feel about what had just happened. His mind mulled over the look on Pikeman’s face as he laid next to him. The way his face burned with embarrassment and how his eyes were closed so tightly so that he could ignore the problem like he had done seconds before his father showed.    
  
Max wasn’t sure if he should pity the troop leader or not. After all, a man that acted much like Pikeman’s father was the same one who gave Max his teddy bear.     
  
They arrived at the medical tent where an elderly man had his feet on a fold out table and a cigarette in between his lips. Two colors were stuffed in the back of the tent and one was occupied by a napping scout with a cast. 

  
“What happened to the brat?” He asked without looking over. The scoutmaster sat Max on the table and kept his hand on his shoulder.    
  
“Just breaking in a new recruit. Make sure he recovers, we can’t afford to lose another body. Even if he is a bit of a runt.” He patted Max’s shoulder in what would have been a friendly way had he not just insulted the boy.    
  
“Mmhm. Can’t lose anymore can we? Sales are bad as it is, can’t take more hits than that or it all goes down.” The old man spoke with a drawled out souther accent. His uniform was more formal than anything Max had seen at their camp. He only had a white collared shirt tucked into blue jeans. Max didn’t trust him.    
  
“Yeah. They’re giving us another year to bring sales and members up. We gotta keep taking, it’s all we can do.” The father sounded resigned. Max would have almost felt bad had he not been kidnapped under his orders.    
  
The camp’s poor excuse of a nurse slowly stood up and helped Max wiggle out of his shirt.    
  
The nurse gave a low whistle at the numbers of bruises and scratches covering Max’s torso.    
  
“You’re a tough one ain’tcha? Just like that other kid from Campbell’s.” The nurse gently prodded at Max’s ribs and arms.    
  
“Oh you mean, Jeremy?” Pikeman’s father asked.    
  
The nurse scoffed, “Yeah the gross one. Kid still thinks everyone’s his friend. They can’t shake him off.”    
  
The adults shared a laugh and Max grimaced at being compared to Jermy.    
  
The nurses pulled back and eyed up the broken boy.    
  
“Yeah the boys fine. Edward sure did a number on him, but nothing this kid couldn’t handle. He’ll be a good scout once he sees it our way. He’s tough.” The man nodded to himself and helped Max put his shirt back on.    
  
“He Just needs to rest up and take a painkiller. Scout’ll be runnin with the big boys by tomorrow.”    
  
“Phew, I thought it’d be a broken rib at best. We didn’t need the authorities to find out by a hospital visit.” The man stepped away from Max. When the boy looked at him, he offered a small smile.   
  
“Sarge, I gotta run. I got another meeting with troop 17 down south.” Pikeman’s father was out of the tent in the blink of an eye. Max thought maybe he liked being gone.    
  
‘Maybe all Dads are like that,’ he thought.    
  
The nurse helped a wobbly Max off the table and on to a cushioned cot pressed against the wall of the tent.    
  
“Rest up. Edward will come getcha when you’re better.” 

  
Max could only think about how he didn’t want to wake up then he was fast asleep. 

**Author's Note:**

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